Twenty Five Days to Make a Difference started sixteen months ago. When I started my blog, I didn’t expect anyone other than my family to read it. It’s been amazing to me that so many people have read and helped to support the charities that I like. I’ve learned that I really love doing service work, and I plan to continue doing that. I also like using technology in different ways, and I plan to do that too. I’m taking a break from blogging here though, for now. The attention that I’ve gotten for doing this has been a big surprise. I have really enjoyed blogging here, but my family and friends know that I was hoping to find a bigger group of people to focus on service work with, so I was part of a group and not just doing things on my own. I’m really thankful for the help everyone has given me here. I will miss doing this!

I’m very excited because JJenny Luca has started an online community for students and teachers who are making a difference. I hope you will think about joining that bigger community and sharing what you do to make a difference. I plan to!

I want to thank everyone for participating in my blog carnival! I began reading all of your posts last night. I’m going to finish and leave comments for everyone tonight! I hope that everyone will visit the comments section of my post from yesterday. You can see who participated and follow the links back to their blogs too. This morning, I drew the name of the winner of the Flip Video Camera! I did this by drawing names of bloggers out of a bowl to keep it fair. My mom recorded it so everyone could see. I will need the winner to email your address to twentyfivedays@gmail.com! Your camera is on its way!

As many of you know, I will be doing a blog carnival on 3.31.09. This weekend my mom and I started to think about the prize thatI will be giving away. This morning, Woot was running a really good deal on the Flip Video Camera. I have enough money saved up in bottle returns from this winter to pay for this camera, and so my mom and dad said I could get it and I WILL BE GIVING THIS CAMERA AWAY TO ONE LUCKY PERSON OR CLASSROOM WHO BLOGS TO SPREAD THE WORD TO END THE WORD ON MARCH 31ST!!!!

Here are the rules for the carnival:

• To be entered you MUST have at least one blog POST that focuses ending the use of the r-word.
• Your post MUST be on how the r-word makes you feel, how you will help Spread the Word to End the Word, or have to do with the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign.
• Your post MUST be entered on 3.31.09.
• Once your post is up, please leave a comment here so that I know you are entered. It would be great if you could leave your name or the name of your class/school and a link to the post. I will create a new post on my blog that day with a list of all of the bloggers who have spread the word!
• Everyone who posts and leaves their link here will be entered into a random drawing to win the Flip Video Camera! I will draw the name of the winner on April 1st!

If you have any questions, just let me know! Please spread the word about the carnival so lots of people will spread the word to end the word!

:-8) (guy with a moustache)

Soeren Palumbo is a teenager who has a sister with an intellectual disability. Sometimes, he hears people use the r-word, and he feels terrible about it. A while ago, Soeren made a speech to his class about all of this, and without knowing or trying, and it was spread all over the internet. Tim Shriver Jr. is a college student who was inspired by his grandma, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, to help with the Special Olympics.  Tim and Sorean are friends, and they are very nice too. I got to get to know them both better when I was in Idaho. They were leaders of the Global Youth Summit, and they are heading up the Spread the Word to End the Word is a campaign.

In my last post, I talked a little bit about one of the things that I plan to do to participate in this campaign. I’ll be doing a blog carnival. Lots of people have already told me they’d like to help out, and I”m really excited about this. As you get ready to do this, you might want to think about using some of the resources here to get more information and share it with others.

If you plan to take part in my blog carnival, make sure you visit my blog this week! I plan on explaining more about the rules and telling what the prize will be. I am going to do a random drawing of all those who participate. This is going to be fun! Let me know if you plan to do this. Thanks!

On March 31, 2009, it will be Spread the Word to End the Word day for the Special Olympics. Spread the Word to End the word is trying to get kids and adults to STOP saying the r-word. The Special Olymics has asked me to help out with it and I am deciding to host a blog carnival.

A blog carnival is where there is a specific topic that people blog about on a certain day. Then, the host links back to those posts, sort of  like booths at a carnival. I will be hosting a blog carnival on 3-31-09. So, I am asking you  to blog  about the r-word on March 31, 2009. If you do this, I will link back to you here. I also plan on giving away a prize by doing a random drawing.

I’d like advice about making my blog carnival more successful. If you have any suggestions, please leave them in the comment section or email them to me. In addition, I will be having some games because when I think carnival I think games so, if you know of any charity games, please think about sharing the links with me.

Thank You!!!!!!

Today I read a comment from Chocbonbonbella from room5weblog.blogspot.com. They asked

“But what if  someone IS retarded and you call that person that, and they take it the wrong way? Not saying retarded is really hard for all my friends and I.”

I commented back, but I thought that it was an intresting topic. What IF someone has an intellectual disability? Is it right to call them retarded?

I don’t think that you should because mental retardation is a condition. In my reply I said that if someone is diabetic you don’t call them by their condition,  you call them by their name. It’s the same with people with intellectual disabilities. I don’t think you should call anyone by anything other than their name. Also, unless any person invites you to talk about their condition, you shouldn’t talk about it. It would be disrespectful to do that.

Last week, I was in Idaho at the Special Olympics Youth Activation Summit. Well, when I was there, we talked a lot about how people use the word “retard” in really insensitive ways. We talked about how it effects other people, how much it hurts, and most important, how to STOP this from happening.

The r-word hurts. Even though many people are trying to keep others from saying it, it’s a big part of many kids’ vocabulary. I remember when we did our first session on trying to stop it from spreading, a man in our group said that it’s set in stone in our minds, and that some people say it without even trying to. I think that this is true, but horrible. I don’t think that it has to be, it just is.

We also talked about how the r-word is supposed to be for doctors to use. That’s how it was developed. It’s not acceptable that we turned something for medical uses into something that is an insult.

The Special Olympics’ site is raising awareness by asking others to make videos, write songs, or speak to others about the r-word. These are a couple  videos I liked. In the next few weeks, I’m going to be doing some work to “curb the word” as my friend Noah’s mom says. I’ll let you know what I’m up to as I plan. In the meantime, tell me what you think kids can do to prevent others from using this word in such a negative way.

THE NEW R-WORD IS RESPECT!!

Today I read about a bush fire in Victoria Australia, where Jenny Luca from Working together 2 Make a Difference lives. It started on Saturday, February 7th and so far authorities have reported 173 people killed. The number of deaths is supposed to rise to about 200 people  because all of the homes and buildings have not been checked yet.

I am hoping to spread lots of awarenessabout this and also to create some support for the people who live there along with Jenny Luca and her class. She is asking that you go here to donate money to help rebuild homes, schools, and the community that were destroyed in the fire.

This means so much to me because last year, I Skyped with Jenny Luca and her class, and made some friends through email and I really hope I can make a difference for them.

PLEASE GO HERE TO DONATE TO THIS CAUSE!!!

Today I read a little bit more about what the Special Olympics is doing for people with disibilities. I read about a law that advocates for people with disabilities are trying to get passed. It’s called the Fitness and Athletics Equity for Students with Disabilities Act. This act is like the Title IX Act which gave girls equal treatment in school sports, but this time it’s for students with disabilities. I’m not so sure that this is a good thing yet because it could be unfair in some ways.  For example, if you are in a running competition, people with wheelchairs could end up competing against people on foot which gives them an advantage.

I also read and watched some more on the CRPD. The CRPD is working for …

• The right to make one’s own decisions
• The right to live in the community of one’s choice
• The right for equality and protection from discrimination
• The right to respect for physical & mental integrity
• The right to freedom from torture, violent exploitation and abuse
• The right to healthcare and to free and informed consent in health services
• The right to education
• The right to protection and safety during situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies
• The right to vote and to participate in public & cultural life
• The right to liberty of movement and nationality
• The right to personal mobility (access to mobility devices and training)
• The right to work, and to an adequate standard of living
• The right to privacy
• The right to access to justice
• The right to freedom of expression and opinion
• The right to habilitation & rehabilitation
• The right to receive information in accessible formats
• The right to marry and to divorce, and to share equally in child custody
• The right to procreate, & the right to obtain contraception
• The right to sign contracts, and own and inherit property
• The right to accessible public transit and public accommodations

When I was reading this I was wondering why we need laws like this to protect people with disabilities because we are all humans and are all equal. Later, I learned that without these laws, it’s possible that some people might treat kids and adults with disabilities poorly. We need laws like this to stop that from happening. But I really want to know from you: do you think we need these laws or not? Please leave me a comment. I’m learning a lot from what I’m reading and from people who comment and email me.

The CRPD is the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Every time a country ratifies this convention, they agree to:

• Improve laws and make laws that protect the human rights of the disabled
• Enforce laws
• Protect people with disabilities
• Educate the public about human rights
• Involve people with disabilities in decisions
• Tell the United Nations what they are doing for people with disabilities

All people with disabilities have the right to make their own decisions about their lives. We all have human rights and everyone deserves to have them protected. So I kinda wonder why my country hasn’t ratified this convention yet.

Please tell me what you think.

Today I started doing some reading so I can learn more about the Special Olympics before I go to Idaho. Most of what I read was about how people with intellectual disabilities are often treated in our communities. The things that I read were very informational and they really made me think .

I learned that there are different models for thinking about the way we treat people with intellectual disabilities. The Charity Model of Disability takes place when people try to feel sorry for or take extra care of people who have these disabilities. I learned that we shouldn’t feel bad for or try to take care of people with intellectual disabilities because it takes their power away. We should treat everyone equally, even if they’re different from us because people with disibilities are just as powerful as the next person.

Sometimes poeple think that intellectual disabilities are a sickness like the flu or cancer. This is called the Medical Model. When this happens, it leads to people focusing on a way to fix what they see as a health problem, instead of changing attitudes and treating people all as equals.

Both of these reactions isolate people with disabilities in their homes, hospitals, or institutions rather than simply welcoming them into the world. There is a way to do this though–by practicing the Social Model. The Social Model helps people with disabilities be accepted as regular people who make important contributions to their families and communities. It is the respectful way to treat people, and I like that.

“Let me win. But if I cannot  win, let me be brave in the attempt.”- The Special Olympics Athlete’s Oath

I think that quote is important to think of whenever you are competing in something. The Special Olympics is a non profit organization that was founded in 1968 and is held all over the world. They want to help kids and adults with intellectual disbilities to become healthier. I’ll be spending some time this year focusing on this because I was asked to go to Idaho this year, where the Special Olympics World Games are to attend the Global Youth Summit that  is linked to this organization.

One of the things I’ve learned a lot about over the last year is that some nonprofits really try to make a place for kids who want to make a difference. When they do this, it helps us feel more welcome and this way, we might want to help that group for a long time. The Special Olympics is like this, and I am really excited that Andrea Kahn called me and asked me if I would like to join the Global Youth Summit. I get to go there in February, and I plan to spend this much learning as much as I can about how I can serve this organization well. I plan to blog about what I learn here and about my experiences at the Global Youth Summit too.

I also plan to start sharing ideas for how kids can make a difference doing small things as often as I can. I’m learning a lot about this, and I hope that I can learn more but connecting to others who do the same thing.

Over the last few weeks, a lot of people have been doing things to make a difference for an organization that I care about a lot. It’s called Compass House. During my December challenge, Kate Ellis and Theresa Gray each pledged to make a difference for them, and I was really grateful when they told me they were making some great donations. Mrs. VanEtten’s seventh graders also did a HUGE clothing drive for them too, which was really impressive AND inspiring.

I know I haven’t been blogging a lot lately. I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do with my blog and with my service work. I’m learning more about the different ways in which people use blogs, and I have some ideas about what I want to do here for the next year. I like the idea of trying to use my blog as a way to share ideas for how people could do small things to make a difference for ANY cause.

Next month, I will be going to Idaho to take part in the Special Olympics World Games. There are so many great things that kids and grown ups can do to make a difference for this organization. I plan to use this month to blog about what I am learning about the Special Olympics. I also want to share some ideas that anyone can use if they want to make a difference for a cause they care about.

Drum roll please! Today is the final day of the annual 25 Days Contest!  So, today I tallied up everyone who did something to make a difference.

DRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR……………

The single person who made a difference this year was…………..    Greg Gutierrez! The reason Mr. Gutierrez won was because he left a comment on what he did almost everyday this month. Also, Greg helped lots of people in person.

DRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR………….. 

Mrs. VanEtten’s class at Depew Middle!!! The reason that Mrs. VanEtten’s class won, was because they inspired other kids at their school to donate clothes to Compass House. They also did a huge research project where every kid researched how they wanted to make a difference for a cause that was special to them! I think that this is important because lots of  kids (including me) sometimes think that they can’t donate to places like Compass House or help in any way because they are young. All of the kids at Depew Middle proved this wrong and helped a lot. I think that this was really important. 

I hope that Mr. Gutierrez and Mrs. VanEtten’s students will let me know what their favorite causes are. I plan to do some service work for each of them as a prize in the new year!

Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it!

Laura: On December 19, I was especially thankful for the work that my parents do to keep our house so nice and clean and cheery all the time. They always work their her hardest to give us a nice home. So, I folded all of the laundry that was waiting in baskets in the basement. There was a lot! It was challenging, but I know that my parents do even more challenging things everyday to make me happy.

Over the weekend, I spent a lot of time playing in the snow with my sister. I have to admit that I really didn’t want to because it was freezing with a capital “F”! But I was thankful for all of the things Nina does for me and she loves to play in the snow. She’d stay out there all day if she could, and I didn’t want her to be lonely.

I’m grateful that we’ve had TWO SNOW DAYS over the last four days! Tomorrow is the last day of school before break, and I’m looking forward to that. I’m really excited to give my family the gifts I got them too.

Remember that if you’ve been working to make a difference this month, just let me know by leaving me a comment or sending me an email at twentyfivedays@gmail.com. I will announce the winner who made the most difference on Christmas night, and I’ll be spending some time in the new year doing service work for their favorite charity.